Headbands for retaining and positioning flashlights are known. Typical of such devices is the one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,932, granted on Oct. 1, 1991, to Richard N. Case for a "Flashlight Retainer". The '932 patent describes an elongated band having two ends adapted to releasably engage each other so as to form a circular headband having an outside face and an inside face. The inside face fits snugly against the head of the user while the outside face includes an elastic loop for retaining and positioning a flashlight.
Other similar devices are known. Typically, these devices differ by their means for retaining the flashlight or by their means for adjusting the headband to fit different head sizes. Examples of such other devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,793, granted on Jan. 10, 1989, to Tom R. Fields for a "Headband for Holding a Flashlight", U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,294, granted on Jun. 8, 1993, to James W. Liston for a "Head Mounted Multi-Position Flashlight Holder", and U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,631, granted on Nov. 13, 1990, to Timothy E. Marshall for a "Headband Device for Holding Flashlight".
Unfortunately, known flashlight-retaining headbands have a number of disadvantages.
Although these devices are suitable for retaining a flashlight on a person's head, this arrangement is not the normal state for either the flashlight or the person. People generally do not walk about with flashlights on their heads and flashlights are generally found in places other than on people's heads.
The known headbands do not assist a person to carry a flashlight anywhere except on the head. Designed for active flashlight use, these devices expose the flashlight to damage during passive carriage.
When not worn, the headband is loose and susceptible to snagging on objects. To avoid snagging the headband, the user must either wrap it cumbersomely around the flashlight or remove it entirely and store it separately from the flashlight. In either case, over time the user will be prone to forget the headband, to lose it, or to intentionally leave it behind. Without the headband, the user must either carry the flashlight in hand or find an alternative device for retaining or carrying the flashlight.
Similarly, the known devices are not suitable for storing a flashlight between uses. They leave the flashlight exposed and susceptible to damage, and their elongated, flexible structure is prone to becoming a tangled mess.
What is needed is a flashlight-retaining headband that is also suitable for carrying the flashlight during passive use and for storing the flashlight between uses. The present invention is directed to such a device.